300 yard drive, what's the big deal?

[RightEdge]

I'm just going to reiterate what 2010 jamo said:

The "average" part is key. Any moron can get ahold of one occasionally, but it takes the consistency of contact that only really pros (and some better amateurs) have to average 300.

They attack anyone who says he "hits" a 300 yard shot. I don't know if I have seen somebody who says he "averages" 300 yards a drive.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

Why don't you explain to me how long drives equal low scores? If that is the case no pro golfer alive would have a snowball's chance in hell against the long drive champion now would they?

That's not a good comparison. I didn't ask why you weren't on tour. I don't know the exact calculation but if you are a 25 handicap that means you are averaging 30+ over or something like that. So you are telling me you get to a 430 yard par 4, hit it 300 yards and then take 5 shots to get in from 140 consistently. My wife is not coordinated and has played 20 or 25 times in her life and is better than that. You are an athlete with solid mechanics and I assume some hand eye coordination. So again how do you hit 300 yard drives and have a 25 handicap. Also I hit the ball 20 yards further if I pull my shots. Do those count for my average if they are 30 yards in the woods.

[Aguirre]

I once hit a 423 yard drive.

Hickory Heights Golf Club near Pittsburgh.  I think the hole is No 1 now, but it used to be No 10.  Downhill, wind aided, cart path aided, and I hit it well.  Had a PW to a 540 or so yard par 5.  Yes, I birdied.

[flopster]

We have, they usually are at least a 15.

[Aguirre]

That's not a good comparison. I didn't ask why you weren't on tour. I don't know the exact calculation but if you are a 25 handicap that means you are averaging 30+ over or something like that. So you are telling me you get to a 430 yard par 4, hit it 300 yards and then take 5 shots to get in from 140 consistently. My wife is not coordinated and has played 20 or 25 times in her life and is better than that. You are an athlete with solid mechanics and I assume some hand eye coordination. So again how do you hit 300 yard drives and have a 25 handicap.

Also I hit the ball 20 yards further if I pull my shots. Do those count for my average if they are 30 yards in the woods.

My buddy I mentioned in my previous story doesn't keep a handicap.  But if he did, and scored accurately, he'd easily be a 25+.  And he crushes the ball.

He's somewhat useful in a scramble, so long as he's hitting his tee ball well.  I play with him, his brother, and his dad in one every year.  He hits the drives, I do the rest with his dad occasionally pitching in.  His brother plays like shit, drinks shit beer, and eats his boogers.

[RightEdge]

That's not a good comparison. I didn't ask why you weren't on tour. I don't know the exact calculation but if you are a 25 handicap that means you are averaging 30+ over or something like that. So you are telling me you get to a 430 yard par 4, hit it 300 yards and then take 5 shots to get in from 140 consistently. My wife is not coordinated and has played 20 or 25 times in her life and is better than that. You are an athlete with solid mechanics and I assume some hand eye coordination. So again how do you hit 300 yard drives and have a 25 handicap.

Also I hit the ball 20 yards further if I pull my shots. Do those count for my average if they are 30 yards in the woods.

I never said that I "averaged" 300 yards drives man. I said that I can definitely put one out there 300 if I go at it. The issue is that anybody who comes on this board an has the nerve to say he "can" hit it 300 is instantly labeled a liar. My drives on par 4s are usually about 270-280 with a regular swing. Then I'm on my approach shot. Everything goes to hell right there. Short, long, left or right. I have no chipping, pitching or putting game as of now (that will change hopefully).  I don't understand how people on this board that claim to play golf all the time can not admit that driving long doesn't mean squat. You can miss the green on an approach shot on a par 4 and get a 6 pretty easily.  Most beginning golfers like me (as I was told by an instructor) are doing all they can to just hit a ball straight.  It takes long time to get the short game working.  If you just don't want to admit that a person can be a long hitter and not be a good golfer, after me referencing the long drive competitions I just give up.

[Pretzel]

That's not a good comparison. I didn't ask why you weren't on tour. I don't know the exact calculation but if you are a 25 handicap that means you are averaging 30+ over or something like that. So you are telling me you get to a 430 yard par 4, hit it 300 yards and then take 5 shots to get in from 140 consistently. My wife is not coordinated and has played 20 or 25 times in her life and is better than that. You are an athlete with solid mechanics and I assume some hand eye coordination. So again how do you hit 300 yard drives and have a 25 handicap.

One thing to note here, as a course starter and someone who's played with a lot of different people, is that distance does not usually equal skill. I've seen many people who may have hit the ball a good distance off the first tee, then take five more to get in.

Here's how it works:

- Big tee shot

- Fat iron shot (swinging too hard usually)

- Hit on/near green with third

- 3-putt if on the green, chip and 2-putt if not on the green

It happens quite frequently at the first hole on the course I start, which is only 380 yards or so from the Blue Tees that most play from. Long and wrong usually means higher scores, but even long and straight doesn't guarantee a lower score on that hole. The tee shot does take a majority of the hole out of play, but remember that it is only a small part of the overall strokes you're taking. I guess what I'm trying to say is that a lot of people practice a bunch trying to hit it really far with a driver, but don't bother to worry about chipping and putting and add many strokes that way.

[late347]

There are always exception to the rule but on average a guy weighing 180 lbs is always faster than a guy weighing 280 lbs. A guy weighing 220 lbs is usually stronger than a guy weighing 140 lbs.  On average a 6'3 200+ lb guy with average swing mechanics will be able to at least match a 5'6 140 lb guy as far as distance pro or not. I may be wrong but speed, strength and athleticism doesnt care if you are a pro or not.  I know some of us think pros are gods and they are awsome as far as precision but come on man, distance and power are not restricted to just pros.

oosthuizen CAN hit the ball up to and over 300 yards just a friendly reminder there ! He had some good driving apparently in his latest tournaments current driving average for Oosthuizen is 306,8 yards ...

That being said, at perfect conditions for ball rolling, firm and wide fairways, probably someone like Bubba would outdrive a lot of people on the tournament field...

[late347]

There are always exception to the rule but on average a guy weighing 180 lbs is always faster than a guy weighing 280 lbs. A guy weighing 220 lbs is usually stronger than a guy weighing 140 lbs.  On average a 6'3 200+ lb guy with average swing mechanics will be able to at least match a 5'6 140 lb guy as far as distance pro or not. I may be wrong but speed, strength and athleticism doesnt care if you are a pro or not.  I know some of us think pros are gods and they are awsome as far as precision but come on man, distance and power are not restricted to just pros.

Trackman has "demystified" golf swing and the power of the golf swing quite a bit in my opinion.

The emperor no longer has clothes, as the old story goes! Golf is no longer "mysterious" when you get geometric and physics data from high speed radar.

Trackman reveals with the power of science, why the pros are able to hit  ball so well. Science is the same for all, whether you are pro or amateur, I hope everybody realizes that at least.

Pros have the same muscles, same bones, same tendons, same clubs, same balls etc... Only their fairways tend to be in better conditioning, more firm fairways equate to consistent roll after carry distance...

If you do everything right, (fix your faults through trackman / instruction from golf pro) there's no logical reason why you should hit the ball less than a similar pro player.

[RightEdge]

That being said, at perfect conditions for ball rolling, firm and wide fairways, probably someone like Bubba would outdrive a lot of people on the tournament field...

That's not a good comparison. I didn't ask why you weren't on tour. I don't know the exact calculation but if you are a 25 handicap that means you are averaging 30+ over or something like that. So you are telling me you get to a 430 yard par 4, hit it 300 yards and then take 5 shots to get in from 140 consistently. My wife is not coordinated and has played 20 or 25 times in her life and is better than that. You are an athlete with solid mechanics and I assume some hand eye coordination. So again how do you hit 300 yard drives and have a 25 handicap.

Also I hit the ball 20 yards further if I pull my shots. Do those count for my average if they are 30 yards in the woods.

As a matter of fact it is a PERFECT comparison.  Guys like you argue that nobody can hit the ball that far but suck at golf.

Trackman has "demystified" golf swing and the power of the golf swing quite a bit in my opinion.

The emperor no longer has clothes, as the old story goes! Golf is no longer "mysterious" when you get geometric and physics data from high speed radar.

Trackman reveals with the power of science, why the pros are able to hit  ball so well. Science is the same for all, whether you are pro or amateur, I hope everybody realizes that at least.

Pros have the same muscles, same bones, same tendons, same clubs, same balls etc... Only their fairways tend to be in better conditioning, more firm fairways equate to consistent roll after carry distance...

If you do everything right, (fix your faults through trackman / instruction from golf pro) there's no logical reason why you should hit the ball less than a similar pro player.

I agree with this.

[iacas]

Trackman has "demystified" golf swing and the power of the golf swing quite a bit in my opinion.

The emperor no longer has clothes, as the old story goes! Golf is no longer "mysterious" when you get geometric and physics data from high speed radar.

Trackman reveals with the power of science, why the pros are able to hit  ball so well. Science is the same for all, whether you are pro or amateur, I hope everybody realizes that at least.

Pros have the same muscles, same bones, same tendons, same clubs, same balls etc... Only their fairways tend to be in better conditioning, more firm fairways equate to consistent roll after carry distance...

If you do everything right, (fix your faults through trackman / instruction from golf pro) there's no logical reason why you should hit the ball less than a similar pro player.

TrackMan only shows what happens (some calculated) at impact, not what the player does to arrive there.

[ather]

It's a known fact that size, weight and height do come in to play but at the end of the day its all about practice

[tmac20]

I don't understand how people on this board that claim to play golf all the time can not admit that driving long doesn't mean squat.

Because it's wrong. Every player, no matter what skill level, would find it easier to hit the green with a PW over a 7 iron.

[iacas]

Because it's wrong. Every player, no matter what skill level, would find it easier to hit the green with a PW over a 7 iron.

Correct. Hitting the ball far is not only a skill, it's one of the best skills a golfer can have.

[RightEdge]

Because it's wrong. Every player, no matter what skill level, would find it easier to hit the green with a PW over a 7 iron.

Hitting long does not mean you are good at scoring.  Anybody that disagrees with that is not being honest. Hitting long doesn't mean you hit it straight and it furthermore has no bearing on chipping and putting.

[RightEdge]

Correct. Hitting the ball far is not only a skill, it's one of the best skills a golfer can have.

And STILL has nothing to do with overall ability to score.  What good is hitting long but its a long slice or a long hook? What good is long if you hit past the green 15 yards into a hazard?  What good is long if you can't chip onto a small green or can't read breaks or can't putt?  One of the best skills a golfer can have is accuracy, not distance.

[RightEdge]

Because it's wrong. Every player, no matter what skill level, would find it easier to hit the green with a PW over a 7 iron.

This is also wrong.  A good or average player would find it easier to hit a green with a pitching wedge but not necessarily a non-skilled player.  A non-skilled player can't hit any club and I doubt that it matters what club is in his hand because he will screw the shot up with every club equally as bad.

[Crim]

This is also wrong.  A good or average player would find it easier to hit a green with a pitching wedge but not necessarily a non-skilled player.  A non-skilled player can't hit any club and I doubt that it matters what club is in his hand because he will screw the shot up with every club equally as bad.

I highly disagree with this, I'm a non-skilled high handicapper and I find it 1000x easier to hit the green 100 yards away with a pitching wedge than a green 140-150 yards away with a 7 iron.

That seems pretty common sense to me.